In a communications network, there is often a need to send a network-initiated message to a communication device. For example, the communication device may host a client-side application portion that cooperates with a server-side application portion to implement a particular application, such as a position determining application. At certain times, the server may request the location of the communication device, and correspondingly issues a message (such as a SUPL INIT message) destined for the client-side application. The client-side application portion receives the SUPL INIT message and responds by collecting the location parameters and establishing a secure user plane connection with the server-side application portion, over which the location parameters of the communication device can be securely transported to the server.
The client-side portions of applications, such as the client-side portion of the position determining application described above, are traditionally executed by core processing circuitry of the communication device. This is where most of the processing power, control logic and interface functionality is concentrated. However, peripheral devices are becoming increasingly versatile and are being equipped with enhanced functionalities. This is the case with SIM/UIC cards, which are being manufactured with the capability to support client-side portions of applications, such as the client-side portion of the position determining application described above.
When dealing with advanced peripherals, it becomes necessary to modify the formatting scheme used to address messages sent to the device in order to allow the core processing circuitry of the device to distinguish between network-initiated messages destined for a client-side application portion resident on the peripheral (e.g., the SIM/UIC card) and network-initiated messages destined for a client-side portion resident on the core processing circuitry itself.
However, many service providers have made considerable investments into servers and other infrastructure that pre-dates the trend of placing client-side applications on peripherals. As a result, many legacy systems are programmed to format network-initiated messages as if the client-side application portion for which they were destined were always being executed by core processing circuitry. In order to adapt their systems to modern SIM/UIC cards, service providers are faced with the prospect of re-programming, re-integrating and re-debugging their servers, which implies added costs, possible downtime and a potentially decreased robustness.
Against this background, it would be desirable to provide a solution that allows service providers to preserve legacy equipment, while fully benefiting from the enhanced capabilities of current and future peripherals.